The Digital Divide

The digital divide concept was first introduced over a decade ago by United States Vice President, Albert Gore, in a speech given to the residents of Knoxville, Tennessee. During this speech he introduced the digital divide concept in the context of US children not having access to the “information superhighway”. Specifically, Vice President Gore stated, “We challenged the nation to make sure that our children will never be separated by a digital divide” (emphasis added) [1]. Later in the same address, President William Clinton expanded on the concept to include an important developmental dimension. “Of course, as Al said, there could be a great digital divide. If we don't broadly share the knowledge and the technology that is developing, it could work to promote inequality, frictions, anxieties among people. But if we do it right, it can be a great force to help us meet our challenges and protect our values together.” [2]. Later “bridging” the digital divide became a major initiative for the Clinton/Gore administration in particular within the United States. The Clinton/Gore Administration stated, “Today, President Clinton announced that he intends to lead a New Markets tour in the Spring of 2000 to focus national attention on the digital divide the growing division in the United States between information ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots.’ This issue has also been a top priority for Vice President Gore, who has worked to bridge the digital divide by ensuring that all of our children have access to educational technology.” [3].

The idea of bridging the digital divide was soon applied to international development issues. The United Nations and other multinational agencies expanded their activities to address this emerging global issue. The former United Nations Secretary General,Kofi Annan, explained that information and communication technologies can improve the lives of people in developing countries. He said, “The past year has been marked by a great surge in the United Nations' effort to build international consensus around the central goals of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Great hopes have been raised. The challenge now is to translate them into reality. There is a vast potential for investment growth in the developing countries. Information and communication technologies (ICT) can help us turn this potential into concrete opportunities that will help the poor work their way out of poverty, while at the same time benefiting the world community as a whole.” [4]. In particular, in 2006, the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development was formed under the direction of Kofi Annan to serve as a global forum that would comprehensively address the cross-cutting issues related to ICT in development. In 2007, the Digital Alliance Foundation-a non-profit humanitarian orgnisation-was formed to provide capacity-building, vocational ICT skills to marginalised populations, NGOs, in-country aide staff and governmental orgnisations in an effort to alleviate unnecessary human suffering.

The Problem

The digital divide is a multifaceted issue threatening to undermine the economic growth and competitive advantage of individuals, communities and entire regions in the emerging world. Not only is the “divide” widening, but the chasm is deepening with the accelerating rates of technological innovation. The problem, however, is not merely the lack of computer skills or connectivity. The problem is that billions of people needlessly suffer from problems that have already been solved. Without access to the information and knowledge that exists in unprecedented quantities, marginalised populations are quagmired in a situation that affords them one option – figure out the solution to their problems in isolation - an appalling and unnecessary waste in this author’s opinion.

Solutions

The Digital Alliance Foundation (www.ictefa.org), is one of several orgnisations that addresses the issues of the digital divide. With the objective to provide 1,000,000 marginalised people with capacity-building, vocational ICT skills by 2017 it is aggressively ramping up pilots around the world by implementing best practices garnered from the private sector. The Digital Alliance follows a basic methodology to work with strategic partners around the world to implement digital education projects.

Step 1: The Digital Alliance and the perspective partner discuss a mutually agreeable project. This is based primarily on regional and/or partner objectives and the Digital Alliance’s abilities. Projects could range from very basic digital skills for the disenfranchised or more targeted education for secondary school children. The Digital Alliance does not prescribe pre-defined training programmes - they create them to respond to the specific needs of its partners that are in harmony with the regional objectives.

Step 2: The Digital Alliance and the perspective partner agree on the measurable outcomes. Based on knowing what the scope of the project entails a draft project plan if created to quantify and map a measurable action plan.

Step 3: The Digital Alliance and the perspective partner conduct a needs analysis. Based on existing resources and programmes the Digital Alliance and the perspective partner collaborate to determine what else is needed to achieve their programme objectives in the time frame specified.

Step 4: The Digital Alliance seeks the support from funding sources to provide the capital to make the project a reality.

Step 5: The Digital Alliance begin to implement, measure, modify, measure, modify etc. until the programme runs smoothly and achieves operational objectives on a limited and controlled scale. It then expands implementation to a broader area in accordance with the project parameters.

Step 6: The Digital Alliance replicates the successful model for broad application and use it as a best practice scenario. Reports constantly document the successes and failures along the way and provide critical feedback to partners, administration and funding orgnisations.

This process was recently following in preliminary discussions with governmental officials of a small country in the Middle East. Some of the ideas discussed included: focusing on under served girls schools within the traditional school system to boost their digital skills; working with disconnected populations to provide them with "basic" access and digital literacy; or even working with the higher education system to provide specialised training for a specific technical subject (e.g. programming) to help the country create a competitive advantage in that area.

Bridging the Digital Divide for Humanitarian Purposes

A working example of how the digital divide can be bridged for development is found in the relationship between the Digital Alliance Foundation and the Rising Star Outreach orgnisation (www.risingstaroutreach.org). The Rising Star Outreach provides valuable humanitarian care to the Leprosy-affected in India. Its noble efforts were recently showcased on the US Public Broadcasting System (PBS) programme “Breaking the Curse” hosted by Daryn Kagan. (www.breakingthecurse.tv). What is most poignant about this story is the impact on the children of the Leprosy-affected. Sadly, for many people, Leprosy is not seen as a disease but a curse for some wrong doing. Therefore, if any member of the family contracts the completely curable disease, the entire family is stigmatised. In India, the children of the Leprosy-affected are often left with only three options to survive: 1) begging, 2) stealing or 3) both.

Through the valiant efforts of the Rising Star Outreach,over 45 Leper Colonies have been established with a central boarding school for their children near Chennai. At this school, these children have access to a quality education and an opportunity to change their lives and the lives of their families in the process. The Digital Alliance is providing computers, internet connectivity and ultimately training that geared to prepare these children for internships and jobs in the growing Indian ICT Outsource sector. Once this occurs, these beggars without hope will be catapulted to the top of the earning pyramid. Digital education in this context will not be measured in the number lines of code they will produce but in the dramatic transformation in the quality of their lives. In one generation, the significant affects of Leprosy that has plagued communities for thousands of years will be dramatically altered.

In conclusion, the digital divide is a significant issue and barrier to development but it should not be contemplated from a perspective of merely being able to use a computer, the internet or a cell phone. The ramifications of the digital divide have a direct correlation to the elimination of human suffering around the world.

For more information please visit: www.ictefa.org

References
[1] Albert Gore, and William Clinton, “Remarks by the President and the Vice President to the People of Knoxville”, October 10, 1996, Clinton Presidential Centre, (June 2, 2007).
[2] Ibid. [3] Office of the Press Secretary, “The Clinton-Gore Administration:Working to Bridge the Digital Divide”, December 9, 1999, Clinton Presidential Centre, (August 10, 2007).
[4] Kofi Annan, “Annan on Bridging the Digital Divide”, October 6, 2002, BBC News.

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Quinn Sutton is a seasoned education professional with more than 15 years experience in the IT industry and the private sector.He has worked for leading technology firms including WordPerfect, Novell; psychometric firms like Galton Technologies and leading e-learning and simulation experts like SkillSoft (formerly SmartForce, TestOut Corporation and KRYTERION.He recently launched the Digital Alliance ( http://www.ictefa.org)